Democratic presidential contenders Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton clashed angrily over trade, the auto industry bailout and Wall Street in a Michigan debate on Sunday, with Sanders accusing Clinton of backing trade deals that robbed the state of jobs.
In a debate in Flint, Michigan, Sanders said Clinton supported “disastrous” trade policies that moved manufacturing jobs out of cities like Flint and Detroit and shifted them overseas.
But Clinton said Sanders’ opposition to the 2009 auto bailout, a crucial issue in a state that is home to the US auto industry, would have cost the state millions of jobs. The bailout, which Clinton supported, passed Congress and has been credited with helping save the US industry.
If everybody had voted the way he did, I believe the auto industry would have collapsed, taking 4 million jobs with it.Clinton on Sanders
The debate came as Sanders, a US senator from Vermont, struggled to slow Clinton’s march to the nomination to face the Republican candidate in the 8 November general election to succeed Democratic President Barack Obama. Media organisations predicted that Sanders would win Sunday’s Maine caucus.
Sanders also questioned the sincerity of Clinton’s conversion to opposing the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a proposed 12-nation Pacific Rim trade deal.
Clinton “has discovered religion on this issue, but it’s a little too late,” he said.
Secretary Clinton supported virtually every one of these disastrous trade agreements written by corporate America.
The two contenders cut each other off on several occasions, a rare occurrence in a race that has been much more polite than the raucous Republican presidential campaign.
“Excuse me, I’m talking,” Sanders said to Clinton when she tried to interrupt. “If you’re going to talk, tell the whole story,” Clinton responded.
Sanders repeated his charge that Clinton is too close to Wall Street and demanded again that she release the transcript of paid speeches she has given to Wall Street firms. Clinton said she would release them when all the candidates, including Republicans, also release transcripts of similar talks.
‘There Ain’t Nothing’
Throwing up his hands, Sanders said:
I’ll release it. Here it is. There ain’t nothing! I don’t give speeches to Wall Street!
Both candidates said they would beat Republican front-runner Donald Trump if they face the brash billionaire businessman in the November presidential election.
I think Donald Trump’s bigotry, his bullying, his bluster, are not going to wear well on the American people. We have to end the divisiveness.Hillary Clinton
The debate was held in Flint to highlight the city’s water contamination crisis, and both candidates expressed outrage at Flint’s plight and demanded state and federal money begin to flow immediately to begin relief and rebuilding efforts.
Both candidates condemned local officials who they said abetted the crisis in Flint, and demanded the resignation of Republican Governor Rick Snyder of Michigan.
People should be held accountable, wherever that leads. There has to be absolute accountability.Hillary Clinton
“What is going on is a disgrace beyond belief,” Sanders said, plugging his plan to spend $1 trillion to rebuild crumbling infrastructure across the United States.
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The crisis in Flint, a predominantly black city of 100,000, was triggered when an emergency city manager installed by Snyder switched the city’s water supply to the nearby Flint River from Lake Michigan to save money.
The change corroded Flint’s aging pipes and released lead and other toxins into the water supply, exposing thousands of residents including children to high lead levels that have sparked serious health problems.
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